FORMER ARMED FORCES

If you have a minimum of 12 months service and are looking to start a new career, we have tailored opportunities for Army, Navy and
Air Force service leavers.

We are looking for our leaders of the future and are working in
partnership with Hire a Hero to support you in your
transition into civilian life. The Farmfoods Management Development Programme is hands
on and demanding but also varied and rewarding. In just 9 months you will be taking
responsibility for running your own multi-million pound business. Are you up for the
challenge?

THE PROGRAMME

No previous retail experience is required as our programme will take you from Retail Assistant to
Branch Manager in just 9 months.

You will need to be hands on as you will be part of a team responsible for delivering a fast and
friendly service in clean and tidy branches. Our Branch Managers spend very little time in the
office preferring to lead from the shop floor. They never ask anyone to do a job that they
wouldn’t do themselves… so expect to get your hands dirty.

We want you to understand us inside out so you will spend time in other parts of the business
learning how each team works. You will need to work hard but with our award winning training, management and leadership workshops and
the support of your manager, colleagues and mentor you have every opportunity to succeed.

Day 1 - Induction

Weeks 1 to 5 - Retail Assistant Training

Weeks 6 to 10 - Duty Manager Training

Weeks 11 to 13 - Distribution

Week 14 - Holiday

Weeks 15 to 22 Duty Manager

Weeks 23 & 24 - Holiday

Week 25 - Audit

Week 26 - Central Services

Weeks 27 to 37 - Duty Manager

Week 38 - Holiday

Weeks 39 to 51 - Branch Manager

Final Review

Week 52 - Holiday

Day 1 - Induction

Welcome to the team! You'll spend some time getting to know a bit more about us and what to expect across the next twelve months. You'll meet some key people in our operations team including your mentor who you will have regular reviews with. You'll also meet your fellow colleagues on the programme. Most importantly we'll provide you with your uniform and ensure we have all of the details to make sure you get paid!

Weeks 1 to 5 - Retail Assistant Training

During this time you will work hard to get to grips with the core operations within one of our busy branches. You will be expected to become a valued member of the branch team, working efficiently and to a high standard.

Weeks 6 to 10 - Duty Manager Training

Now it is time for you to take on real responsibility and learn the skills needed to be a Duty Manager. You will need to work hard, show initiative and act with complete integrity at all times.

Weeks 11 to 13 - Distribution

You'll spend three weeks working in one of our four distribution centres getting to see what happens once you hit "send" on the orders in your branch. You'll be doing everything from picking orders for branches, stock checking and administration.

Week 14 - Holiday

Relax and enjoy a weeks holiday and return refreshed ready to move on to the next stage in the programme.

Weeks 15 to 22 - Duty Manager

On to another new branch and it's time to put into practice all of the skills you learnt in your first branch. As a fully trained Duty Manager your new Branch Manager will expect you to work hard and efficiently, and take responsibility for leading the branch team in their absence.

Weeks 23 & 24 - Holiday

It's time to recharge your batteries with a well deserved two week holiday!

Week 25 - Audit

Spend a week out on the road with a member of our branch auditing team.

Week 26 - Central Services

There is a lot to take in this week when you spend time in our Birmingham central office. You'll get a taste of what it is like to be part of our Customer Service, Buying, Marketing, Branch Returns, Payroll and Property teams. Phew!

Weeks 27 to 37 - Duty Manager

It's back to branch for the final part of your time as a Duty Manager. This is where you'll really begin to perfect your Branch Manager skills ready for the final stage.

Week 38 - Holiday

Another week's holiday already! Time flies when you're so busy learning everything you need to know to be a fantastic Branch Manager.

Weeks 39 to 51 - Branch Manager

It's that moment you've been waiting for and everything you've been training for over the past 9 months...your very own branch! You will be set challenging targets to achieve and must work hard to run an efficient branch and show that you are an effective manager.

Final Review

Your review & sign off meeting lets you reflect on the year. After this meeting you will be assigned a permanent Branch Manager position and you will discuss opportunities for your future career with Farmfoods. After completing our Management Development Programme you are uniquely placed to succeed wherever your ambitions lie.

Week 52 - Holiday

Relax and enjoy your final week's holiday on the programme knowing that your future is bright at Farmfoods.

WHY US?

Farmfoods is a sixty year old family business. When you join us you will become a part of achieving our mission to deliver the simplest, best value, friendliest
shops in town… different to anywhere else and much better.

With over 300 shops spread nationwide from Invergordon to Plymouth, the chances are we have a location for you.

We are a family business, not a corporate monster. Our culture is built around our values of Hard Work, Trust, Respect and Positive Attitude and our
belief that You Are In Control. At every level in Farmfoods you are trusted and expected to take responsibility for yourself, your
work and your colleagues. This is important because in everything we do we remember that it is our customers who pay our wages, and our store teams who
serve them. We therefore trust our store teams to take responsibility for delighting our customers every day.

If you are a naturally friendly, enthusiastic person we think you’ll fit right in and love our hard-working, hassle free, customer first approach.

WORKING WITH HIRE A HERO

Hire a Hero is a charity that
supports service leavers through the transition into civilian life. Working in
partnership with Farmfoods they understand that for many service leavers civillian life
can be a confusing, chaotic place.

Through their network of mentors and volunteers Hire a Hero will provide support to
service leavers applying for the Farmfoods Management Development Programme from
application through to the final review.

The support provided is in addition to the training and support provided by Farmfoods and
is highly individualised and aims to ensure that you can sucessfully make the transition
into civilian life at Farmfoods.

BEEN THERE DONE THAT...

My name is James. Having left the army after 24 years service I didn’t know what my future career would be, until I came across the Farmfoods Management Development Programme. It’s a brilliant environment and a fantastic programme.

The first month on the MDP was definitely the hardest. It was completely different and new to me and I hadn’t done anything like this before, it felt massively out of my comfort zone. The support I received throughout the programme was fantastic. I had support from my mentor at Hire a Hero and my Branch, Area and Divisional Managers at Farmfoods. Everyone was willing to answer my questions and help me in any way that they could. I also built good relationships with other people completing the Management Development Programme and whilst they were learning too, we found that we could really support each other at times.

If you’re looking for a fast paced job and are not afraid of a bit of hard work this job is really rewarding. Just apply!

BENEFITS

£22,000 salary

Full time, permanent position

Comprehensive training in leadership and management

Award winning training programme

30

Six weeks annual leave (at fixed times during the programme)

Opportunities for career progression

15% discount on our great range of products

Free life assurance

15% discount on our great range of products

Free life assurance

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for committed, highly motivated and driven individuals with military
experience who are interested in pursuing a long-term career within Farmfoods.

You will have experience of leading a team of soldiers and holding responsibility of
important equipment. Determination to succeed is essential, making the most of your
transferable military skill sets to drive the business forward.

We need someone who will show enthusiasm and work hard to drive our teams to success. If
you tick these boxes and have a positive, friendly attitude we’d love to hear from
you.

We offer a flexible start between the months of February and September so you will need to be ready to join the team during that time.

APPLICATION PROCESS

There are three stages to our
recruitment process for the Management Development Programme, each of which is designed to let you show off your best and to help us find the best people for our team:

Application Form

Submit your online application before the deadline. You will be asked some short questions to make sure that Farmfoods is right for you and that you are right for us.

Telephone Interview

If successful in stage one you will be invited to take part in a short telephone interview to help us get to know you a bit better.

Job Trial & Final Interview

If you reach this stage you will be invited to attend a 2 day job trial at one of our branches. You will work alongside our team members to help deliver fast and friendly service to our customers.

At the end of the job trial you will also meet one of our Divisional Managers for a formal interview.

BE SOCIAL

You can stay in touch and up to
date by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook:

Stage One – Application Form
The online application form
consists of a number of short
questions which enable us to
get to know a bit more about you
and also to help you decide if
we are the right company for
you.

Stage Two – Telephone
Interview
If your online application
is successful you will be
contacted to arrange a
telephone interview. This will
be a short interview to help us
get to know you a bit
better.

Stage Three – Job Trial & Final Interview
If you reach this stage you will be invited to attend a 2 day job trial at one of our branches. You will work alongside our team members to help deliver fast and friendly service to our customers.
At the end of the job trial you will also meet one of our Divisional Managers for a formal interview.

We will contact you to arrange a suitable date and location for your job trial. This may on occasions require some travel and an overnight stay. We will cover the cost of travel and accommodation if it is required.

You will be offered a permanent
position with us providing you have
passed the criteria set out for the
programme, for example the
successful completion of your
training and satisfactorily
completing your regular reviews.
Your final review will take place
in August at the end of the
programme. For the right people
Farmfoods is a job for life.

Following your successful
completion of the programme you
will be assigned a permanent Branch
Manager position. You will also be
able to discuss opportunities for
your future career with Farmfoods.
Where you go after the programme is
down to your own ability,
personality and determination.
There are permanent and secondment
opportunities regularly available
across our business. These
opportunities require different
abilities and skills and are always
competitive but after completing
our management development
programme you are well placed
to succeed wherever your ambitions
lie.

It is likely that you will have to move around a bit during the programme,
however we will always take any personal circumstances into consideration.
If you do move around then travelling and accommodation expenses will always
be met.

You will work 45 hours per week
across 5 days. Retail is definitely
not a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 job,
so if this is what you are looking
for you need not apply. Our teams
work hard and nobody knocks off
early. At Farmfoods we expect to go
home a little tired, but pleased
with a day’s work well done.

You will receive full support and
training throughout your time on
our programme. You will also have your own
mentor who will perform regular
reviews with you to ensure you
are progressing well, and who
you can contact at any time
should you have any concerns or
questions.

You will not find another programme
that better balances training,
responsibility and the buzz of a
fast paced job. Add to that a
guaranteed secure job (following
successful completion) at a
national company with great
opportunities and family values;
we believe the Farmfoods Management
Development Programme is truly
first in its class.

We are unable to
provide feedback at the application
form stage due to the high volume
of online applications we receive.
However, we are happy to provide
feedback following the 2 day job trial & final interview if you request it.